"Fr. Earl was a consummate gentleman who truly valued friendship. He had a great love of and fidelity to the Eucharist. Fr. Earl was a respected professor and was willing to teach courses others chose not to teach."

In Memoriam: Fr. Earl A. Weis, SJ

August 17, 2018 — Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of Father Earl A. Weis, SJ, who was called to eternal life on August 15, 2018. Fr. Earl died at the Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Mich. He was 95 years old, a Jesuit for almost seventy-seven years, and a priest for sixty-four years. Fr. Earl is survived by his sister, Ann Lackey, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, on May 5, 1923, Fr. Earl went to grade school in Toledo and high school in Rensselaer, Ind., before entering the Society on September 11, 1941, in Milford, Ohio. He was ordained on June 19, 1954, made tertianship 1955-1956, and pronounced his final vows on February 2, 1959, at West Baden College.

Fr. Earl earned a bachelor's (1946) and master's degree (1948) in English from Loyola University Chicago. He earned a licentiate in philosophy from West Baden College (1948), a licentiate in sacred theology from Weston School of Theology (1955), and a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University (1958).

During regency, Fr. Earl taught English at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati. After earning his doctorate, he was a professor of dogmatic theology at West Baden College (1958-1963) before moving to Washington D.C. where he wrote about dogmatic theology. He was a staff editor of the New Catholic Encyclopedia (1963-1966) and editor of Corpus Instrumentorum (1966-1970). He spent a year as an associate professor at the University of Detroit before moving to Loyola University Chicago where he spent almost forty years as a professor of theology. In addition to teaching at Loyola, Fr. Earl was chairman of the theology department (1971-1980) and superior of the Alpha Community (1983-1989). In 2008, Fr. Earl moved to Colombiere Center to care for his health.

Fr. Earl was a consummate gentleman who truly valued friendship. He had a great love of and fidelity to the Eucharist. Fr. Earl was a respected professor and was willing to teach courses others chose not to teach. He was loved and appreciated by his students. Once, when Fr. Earl was professor emeritus at Loyola University Chicago, a substitute teacher administered a test for him and the students were genuinely concerned about his health and inquired how soon Fr. Earl would return to class.

Fr. Earl was a great example of a Jesuit growing old gracefully. His daily walks with his close friend, Fr. Walt Krolikowski, was a wonderful example to Jesuits in formation of how to grow old in the Society. In his final years when he could not speak, Fr. Earl had a strong understanding of what was going on and what his own mind was. Once after being wheeled into the doctor's office, he silently wheeled himself out of the office because he did not care to see the doctor.
Wake

August 21, 2018 – As we reckon with the Grand Jury report on sexual abuse by priests in Pennsylvania and the failures of bishops to protect the children entrusted to their care, our hearts and prayers—first and foremost—are with the victim-survivors.

January 17, 2019 — Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of Fr. Eugene F. Merz, SJ, who was called to eternal life on January 16, 2019, around 5:30 a.m. Gene died at Zilber Hospice in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He was eighty-seven years old, a Jesuit for seventy years, and a priest for fifty-seven years.

January 16, 2019 — It was a homecoming fifty years in the making. In 2016, Fr. Casey Bukala, SJ, moved to the Colombiere Center near Detroit, where elder Jesuits live in community, receive the healthcare they need, and pray for the Church and the Society. It was not Fr. Bukala’s first time at Colombiere, however.

January 9, 2019 — Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of Fr. John “Jack” R. Crocker, SJ, who died on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan. He was 88 years old. May he rest in peace.